


Thawn and the Skywalkers

by Dreamforge



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27951101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamforge/pseuds/Dreamforge
Summary: When Thrawn is faced by reminders of his past, will he learn from his errors or fail to see past tactics to something more important?(occurs after Thrawn: Alliances)
Relationships: Ar'alani (Star Wars)/Original Female Character(s), Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	Thawn and the Skywalkers

Section One 

“The entire planet?” Thrawn snapped.  
“Yes sir.” Faro stated again. “The entire planet disappeared off our sensors. The only items left on scanners are large pieces of debris.”  
Thrawn paused, wanting to judge the possibility that the Chimeara may meet the same fate upon investigating. He ran through a long list of possibilities, each less plausible than the last. “Helm.” Thrawn snapped. “Set a course to the debris. Jump when ready.” 

Vader’s ship was already there when the Chimaera arrived. Thrawn had barely completed his initial assessment of the destruction when Vader invited himself onto the bridge. It took even less time before the two were at each other’s throats. Politically speaking of course.  
Vader spoke first. “So what mistake of yours caused this?” Vader paused. “Grand Admiral.”  
Thrawn resented the tone, but knew he had to remain civil. He willed his voice into an icy tone. “The Imperial Navy does not possess such weapons for this level of destruction. Nor does the Rebellion.” He turned his gaze to the stars outside the bridge.  
Vader didn’t take the bait. “Well, I assume the Empire can rely on your superior intelligence to find the cause.”  
Thrawn did not give up so easily. He despised when political matters interfered with his military realm. He despised it even more when he believed Vader had been the cause. “The pattern of debris also rules out possibility of an asteroid strike. This planet did not contain any tectonic elements that would result in this level of destruction. There was no industry or manufacturing capacity that could cause an accident with this outcome. That only leaves one element in the Empire with the, capacity, to cause an outcome such as this.”  
Vader scoffed. “As usual, Grand Admiral, you look far but see little. The Emperor would have little use for this level of destruction on an unimportant planet such as this.”  
Thrawn looked at his datapad, selected a small area and enlarged it before passing it to Vader. “When one examines the debris that once made up the core of the planet, you can see the energy signature of the destructive ripples that indicates the presence of a Force-Blast at the time the planet was disintegrated.”  
Vader looked at the datapad in disbelief. Thrawn was right about the pattern of destruction. He was just wrong about its origin. And that was highly disturbing. Vader turned on Thrawn and hissed. “What manner of creature did this?”  
Instantly Thrawn knew that Vader was not the one behind the destruction. It was not often that the Chiss was caught off guard, that his hypothesis turned out to be completely wrong.  
This was one of those times.  
And Vader sensed it.  
“You know I am not the reason behind the planet’s destruction. But your mannerisms seem to indicate you have seen this type of destruction before.” He accused.  
Thrawn quickly snapped back to his senses and resumed his cool demeanor. “There may be a hypothesis, but it is unlikely.”  
Vader started to seethe. He had always suspected that the Chriss had been hiding critical information from him. And now this was his proof. “Do you have nothing to say for yourself?”  
Thrawn remained silent.  
“For your treachery?” Vader accused.  
Thrawn’s upper lip twitched almost imperceptibly. He measured his words carefully. “There are Chiss matters that are best left untouched by the Empire.”  
Vader finally had his chance to usurp Thrawn’s authority. And he took it.  
“Commodore Faro?” Vader barked.  
“Yes sir?” Faro quivered.  
“Contact the Imperial Palace on my behalf. Request that they override the authority of the Grand Admiral order three Star Destroyers to jump to orbit outside Chiss space. Choose three planets at will and begin to fire upon their surface.”  
Faro looked instinctively at Thrawn. A look that did not go unnoticed by Vader. He stretched out with the force and began to twist Faro’s head towards himself. “Were my orders in any way unclear Commodore?”  
Faro swallowed hard. “No sir.”  
As Faro turned to the officers to begin executing the orders Vader turned back to Thrawn. “You still have nothing to say about this matter?”  
Thrawn remained silent.  
Faro’s voice caught in her throat before he was able to fully speak. “Star Destroyers in position in 3 minutes Lord Vader.”  
Vader reached out the force to probe Thrawn’s mind. He was still unable to read what Thrawn was thinking. The mind that was normally smooth and focused, now was twisting and undulating like a storm at sea. A small thought broke through the storm moments before Thrawn opened his mouth. It was grim, dark and full of purpose.  
“This course of action will not end well.”  
“Is that a threat?” Vader growled.  
Thrawn again chose to remain silent.  
Faro’s voice pierced the tension. “Star Destroyers in position Lord Vader.”  
Vader turned back to Thrawn. “I give you one last chance to revisit your loyalties Grand Admiral.”  
Thrawn seemed cold, but Vader could sense a hint of resignation drift across the stormy sea of his mind. Thrawn walked up to the glass of the bridge and stared out. Then quietly, in a voice that even Vader with his force-sensitivity could barely make out, he whispered “Chi’maera.”  
Thrawn briskly turned and strode past Vader. “It is done. Do not open fire with the Star Destroyers if you value the fate of the Empire.”  
Vader had no idea what Thrawn was referring to, he was about to force the Chiss to answer him when Thrawn’s order snapped out. “Commodore Faro. Have yourself and the crew leave the bridge immediately. Lord Vader. You will want to leave as well.”  
Vader bristled at the suggestion. “You do not give me orders.”  
Thrawn turned slowly back to Vader, his red eyes flashing with intensity. “If you wish to solve the mystery of what happened to the planet while still having your flesh remain attached to your bones, I would strongly suggest you await the arrival of my guest in the comfort of my conference room.”  
Vader glared back at Thrawn, not to be intimidated by someone he perceived to be far below him. But he was indeed intrigued. Begrudgingly, Vader stormed off the bridge. 

Barely 15 minutes had passed with Thrawn alone on the bridge when there was a thud on the exterior hull of the bridge. Then a hiss of a bulkhead door opening between the hull and the bridge, then a set of footsteps clacked along the command walkway. 

On the bridge a sheet of ice and frost began to creep across the command walkway before her. She strode up to Thrawn and paused in front of him. He made a small bow to her.  
“Chi’maera.”  
His eyes tracked up from his bow, up her her black Chiss combat warrior uniform and up to her steely face.  
A wisp of a smile slid across one side of her face as her gaze hung on his imperial insignia plaque. “I see your exile has kept you busy.” She smirked.  
He had missed that smile. But his eyes were drawn down to each of the long, angry wounds striking across her upper arms. He sighed. “As has yours.” 

Section 2 

Chi’maera’s mischievous ten-year-old face peeked out from the side of her Skywalker seat on the bridge, eyeing Senior Lieutenant Thrawn.  
Thrawn caught her gaze. “Should you not be paying attention to your duties Skywalker Chi’maera?”  
She glanced back at her controls. She didn’t seem to be concerned. She also didn’t seem to want to be dissuaded from her mischief. She turned back to Thrawn. “Do you want to see something neat?”  
He was interested, but also did not want to encourage her. “Most Skywalkers find their duties of piloting and navigating more than enough to occupy themselves.”  
She shrugged it off. “Most Skywalkers can’t see as far ahead as I can. Come see my trick.”  
Thrawn relented and came to where she sat. She pointed to the gauge that measured the amount of time left until arriving at their destination and then the gauge that showed the output of the hyperdrive. The readings were normal. The ship’s hyperdrive working at 80% output and there were 6 standard hours until arrival. Chi’maera kept her one hand on the steering controls, but lifted the other off the hyperdrive engine. She then used her free hand to grasp the station she was sitting at. She pulled a deep breath into her lungs and closed her eyes. At first Thrawn was puzzled as to what he was supposed to be seeing. None of the gauges were changing. Then he noticed the ship began to vibrate in an unfamiliar way. Then more. And more. The ship’s hull began to shake under the strain. Thrawn placed his hand firmly on her shoulder. Chi’maera opened her eyes. The shaking abruptly stopped and Thrawn’s eyes were drawn to the gauge reading the standard time until arrival.  
30 minutes.  
Chi’meara caught the puzzled look on Thrawn’s face immediately. “I told you it was a neat trick.”  
Thrawn quickly regained his composure and checked the gauge to see if it had malfunctioned. It hadn’t. “How did you do that?”  
She cracked a smile. “I think of the ship. Every bolt. Every person. And I think move faster.”  
“Can any other Skywalker do this?”  
Chi’meara scoffed. “Of course not. They can barely navigate at regular speed.” The mischief crossed her eyes again. “Wanna see another trick?”  
She didn’t wait for an answer from Thrawn this time. She looked behind her and called, “Caregiver? Can I have tip-triangles for dinner tonight?”  
Her caregiver stepped forward and locked hard eyes with the Skywalker. “I hardly think that is an appropriate dinner for a Skywalker of the Ascendancy.”  
The first two fingers on the Skywalker’s hand twitched as she stared back at her Caregiver. “I actually think it’s a great idea.”  
The look on the Caregiver’s face was first confused, then softened. “On second thought, I actually think it’s a great idea.”  
Chi’meara’s turned back to Thrawn. Her face eager for praise.  
Thrawn was intrigued. “Fascinating.” He took a long pause. His curiosity got the better of him. “Could you do that with me?”  
“Yes.” Her voice floated into his ears as she flicked her fingers once again. “I believe I can.”  
The words hung in his mind. They became a magnetic pull towards his mouth. He focused hard on resisting them. But the harder he resisted, the more they seemed to slip from his grasp and re-form once again. They performed their mesmerizing dance as they wound around his mind. It took every ounce of focus he had to control them. He suddenly realized he was holding his breath. In the split second it took him to take a breathe, he found his lips moving.  
“Yes, I believe you can.”  
Her mischievous smile now cracked wide across her face.  
Thrawn was more than intrigued now, but his sense of professionalism caught him. “Promise me you will never do that to me again.”  
The smile didn’t budge. But a playful eyebrow cocked up at him. “Promise you won’t give me a reason to.” 

Section 3 

Everyone had been seated in the Grand Admiral’s conference room for almost 20 minutes when the door finally whooshed open. Faro struggled to hide her surprise as the Chriss woman strode through the door in front of Thrawn. The temperature in the room sank a few degrees as she walked to the head of the conference table. Thrawn deferentially sat to the side of her. Faro had to physically pull her eyes away from the bloody trail she had left behind, but couldn’t bring herself to look her in the eyes. From her periphery he could see the source of the blood trickling down her left arm. From elbow to shoulder, the arm was covered with a macabre map of slashes of different vintages. Some were slightly less unsightly than the others, but they were all poorly healed. They were crowned on the top of the shoulder with a fresh line of carved flesh that dug well into the muscle. Faro dared a glance at the other arm and saw the same types of injuries, but these were in an orderly pattern and all well healed scars. She thought she saw the Chiss glance towards her and quickly cast her gaze back down deferentially.  
Vader on the other hand felt no such compulsion. “This is what you threatened me with on the bridge?”  
Thrawn took a deep breath. He knew this situation would test his military strategy capabilities by becoming very complicated, very quickly. “No such threat was ever issued my lord.”  
Chi’meara’s eyebrow cocked when she heard Thrawn use the phrase ‘my lord’ and she looked accusingly at the Grand Admiral.  
Thrawn continued, “Simple information was provided. And I would humbly suggest that the utmost of tact is required in this situation.”  
Her eyebrow settled back down.  
But in diffusing one bomb, Thrawn had lit another.  
“How dare you suggest how I conduct myself. I will choose how I deal with this situation.” Vader turned himself from Thrawn to Chi’maera. “You will tell me who you are and what you know about the planet’s destruction or you will face my wrath.”  
She calmly looked to Thrawn and the eyebrow rose again.  
“This, my lord, is Chi’maera. A Skywalker of the Chiss Ascendency.” Thrawn began.  
“Chi’maera? As in the same name as Star Destroyer you command from?” Vader accused.  
Thrawn paused for a moment. “There have been many… concurrences between the Ascendency and the Empire. Much like the concurrence of the Chiss role of Skywalker with the family name of General Anakin Sky—"  
Vader didn’t let him continue. “You told me that the Chiss Skywalker’s powers wane as they age. She is clearly older than 14 or 15 years of age.” Vader hissed.  
“She is…” Thrawn paused. Considering his words. “A very unique individual.”  
Vader would not be distracted any longer. “I demand you tell me how this girl is related to the destruction of the planet.”  
“I have my theories.” Thrawn confessed. “But I would need Chi’maera herself to indulge us with what she knows.”  
Chi’maera looked around the table. “In front of them?”  
“If you would consider.” Thrawn said, again showing the utmost deference.  
Chi’marea shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. When she snapped them open, all the Imperial officers in the conference room abruptly clutched their ears and began to writhe in pain. Even Vader pitched his head to the side.  
She coolly turned to Thrawn. “A situation was brought to my attention by one of the eight ruling families.”  
Thrawn’s normal stoic face broke momentarily. “Eight? Are there not nine ruling families?”  
Her gaze dug straight into his. “Eight.” 

Section 4 

“Do you want to go get her or should I?” Ar’alani asked Thrawn.  
“I believe it may be the best strategy for us to both go together.” He responded quickly.  
Ar’alani swept past him, heading out of the bridge and down the hall.  
He caught up to her quickly. “I do not believe the Aristocra’s plan of assigning Chi’maera increasingly punitive caregivers is resulting in an improvement in her demeanor.”  
Ar’alani rolled her eyes. “You think so?”  
Thrawn was confused by the question. “Yes. Was my statement in any way unclear? Serving the Ascendency should be a great honor. And to still retain her Skywalker abilities at this age should be an even greater honor.”  
“She’s fifteen Thrawn.” Ar’alani huffed back. “Nothing is an honor to a fifteen year old girl.”  
They heard the shouting match in the hallway before they even rounded the corner. As they came around the bend they could see Chi’maera and her caregiver nearly coming to blows. The caregiver that had been most recently assigned was even taller than Thrawn and had Chi’maera’s upper arm in a vice grip, dragging her towards the bridge. Chi’maera, for her part, was digging in her heels and attempting to wrest her arm from the caregiver’s grip, resulting in gouges from the caregivers long nails.  
“YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!” Chi’maera screamed.  
“Your presence has been called for,” The caregiver snarled as she jerked Chi’maera another foot closer to the bridge. “and you will obey!”  
“I HATE YOU!!! I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHY THEY ASSIGN ME A CAREGIVER! I WISH YOU WOULD GO BACK TO WHERE EVER YOU CAME FROM! GO BLOW YOURSELF OUT AN AIRLOCK FOR ALL I CARE!!!! I AM NOT YOUR SLAVE!!!!!” She howled back as Ar’alani came into view.  
The caregiver dropped her grip and Chi’maera rubbed her arm. The caregiver huffed and stormed away down the hallway past Thrawn. He leveled a gaze back at Chi’maera. “That situation could have been handled with more tact.”  
Ar’alani stepped in front of Thrawn. “I assure you, we do not see you as our slave. Right?”  
Thrawn looked slightly startled to be asked such a question. “No. You are not our slave.”  
Ar’alani smiled and she could see Chi’maera’s face soften.  
“You are a valuable tactical asset to the Ascendency.” He finished.  
Chi’maera’s scowl was only exceeded by Ar’alani’s. She turned back to Chi’maera, “I am sure it is difficult for you to be required to do this work. To have everyone telling you what you have to do, at a time when you’re just trying to figure out who you are.”  
Chi’maera nodded guardedly. “How do you know?”  
Ar’alani smiled. “I was fifteen once too.”  
Chi’maera returned the smile. “Where do you need to go?”  
They turned together and strode together towards the bridge. As Ar’alani passed Thrawn she smirked.  
“Is there something you find amusing?” He queried.  
Ar’alani didn’t even break stride. “I find the fact that you would tell anyone that they should handle a situation with more tact is hysterical.”  
They quickly made their way to the bridge. Chi’maera sat in the Skywalker seat and Ar’alani and Thrawn took their positions.  
“Helm, prepare for the jump to hyperspace on my mark.” Ar’alani looked to Chi’maera. “…on the mark of our talented Skywalker.”  
Chi’maera smiled back and placed her hands on the controls.  
When they were interrupted by the midshipman. “Mam, an airlock in section three has just lost pressure.”  
“What happened?” Ar’alani snapped.  
“It appears the airlock was released from inside the ship.” The midshipman confirmed. “Sensors shows an object floating away from the ship.”  
“On screen.” Ar’alani ordered.  
They all froze when they saw what the object was.  
It was Chi’maera’s caregiver, floating lifeless in the vacuum of space.  
Chi’marea started shaking her head. “No, no, no, no, no, no.” Tears filled her eyes as she bolted out of the bridge and back to her cabin.  
“Crew of hanger bay 3, begin emergency recovery efforts immediately.” Ar’alani demanded.  
As soon as he knew that he could be of no assistance in the recovery, Thrawn slipped off the bridge.  
He waited for many minutes outside Chi’maera’s cabin, unsure of how to approach the situation or what to say. In the end, he determined that any further delay was more likely to cause a greater problem than any misstep he might make once the door opened.  
He was thoroughly not prepared for what awaited him. Chi’maera sat in a heap in the middle of the floor, her body wracked with sobs. In her right hand she held a large kitchen knife and was connecting the dots that the caregivers nails had left in her arm with a deep, horizontal carving. Thrawn dove into the room and grabbed the knife out of her grasp. She collapsed into his arms, her long, mournful cries spilling out of her.  
“I. Didn’t. Mean. To.” She managed to gasp out between sobs.  
Thrawn had no idea what to do. Ar’alani was so much better at this than he was. He would have to do what he thought she would do. He put his arms around her. She melted into him and the sobbing seemed to abate slightly.  
“Of course you didn’t mean to.” He found himself saying. Then he paused. “You didn’t mean to, what?”  
“I was just mad.” She whimpered. “I didn’t actually want her to do it.”  
Thrawn mulled the thought through his mind and chose his words carefully. “She listened to you because you spoke into her mind.”  
Chi’maera began to sob again in earnest and nodded.  
Thrawn felt something wet on his arm and noticed that the blood from her arm was starting to seep through his tunic. Under the new wound he noticed two similar scars below the new wound.  
“And this isn’t the first time this has happened.”  
She willed the sobbing to stop and looked at him through tear-filled eyes. She so desperately wanted to go back to a time when she was so eager for his praise. But she knew it was too late for that. And she shook her head no.  
With a crack the cabin doors flew open and Ar’alani dashed in. She pulled Chi’maera from Thrawn’s arms and began tending to her. Ar’alani had no idea of the reason behind what had just happened, she was simply trying to shield a young Skywalker from the death and destruction Ar’alani knew all too well.  
Thrawn knew differently now. He rose in silence and backed out of the cabin. 

Section 5 

The Chimaera’s senior staff continued to writhe in pain as a silent screeching sound pulsated in their ears.  
“Is the missing ninth family related to the destruction of the planet?” Thrawn asked coolly. He looked at her angry arm wound. “To that?”  
Chi’maera’s lip twitched. But in anger or hesitation Thrawn could not tell. She paused and then spoke. “The family is not missing. They have been rendered judgement.”  
Thrawn nodded. He didn’t want to believe what she had just said, but knew that she was more than capable. He sat back in his chair and tented his fingers. “Who called you?”  
“The Obbic Speaker notified the Aristocra of a potential threat to the Ascendency originating from the planet. The Obbic suggested that the planet’s destruction was the only way to assure the safety of the Ascendency.” She continued so coldly that the table began to frost in front of her.  
“But who called you?” Thrawn repeatedly patiently.  
The ice quickly retreated from the table’s surface. “Their patriarch. He felt that his case was worthy of judgement and execution. So I was called.”  
Thrawn tapped his fingers. “And then?”  
“The planet was destroyed.”  
His curiosity got the better of him. “How did you achieve such an end?”  
“It was simple.” She was almost flippant. “Much like a brain inside a skull. Simply accelerate one small part of the core and the ensuing chaos destroys the entire organism.”  
Thrawn pointed to her freshly healing right arm scar. “And the Ascendency was protected. You recorded the destruction there, as the lives were taken justly.”  
This lip twitch of hers was definitely a snarl. “No.” She looked at the angry mark on the left arm, still oozing down her chair. “The Obbic patriarch had been untruthful about the planet. A lesser family had been developing a valuable mineral deposit on the planet. The destruction of the planet ensured the strength of the Obbic family, but damaged the wellbeing of the Ascendency as a whole.” Her vicious glare settled on Thrawn. “Judgement had been completed. The execution followed.” She gestured to her fresh right arm scars. “Twenty-two hundred thirty-seven members of the Obbic family. Justly taken. So now there are eight ruling families.” 

Chi’maera waved her hand and the agony of the crew members instantly ceased. They still clutched their heads, shaking off the sense of disorientation. Except for Vader. He was furious.  
“What was the meaning of that!?” He demanded.  
Chi’maera was disinterested in him at best. “I needed to speak candidly with the Grand Admiral.”  
Vader grew tired of her insolence. He stretched out with the force and wrapped it around her neck in a choke hold. Instinctively her hands rose to her throat, then a wicked smile crossed her face. Against the choke she bit out, “This. Will. Be. Fun.”  
She closed her eyes and concentrated. Vader flew backwards out of his chair and was plastered against the wall at the back of the conference room. Chi’maera arrogantly rose and moved in to gloat. Vader used the force to call his lightsabre to his hand and it blazed to life. He took advantage of her moment of surprise at the foreign weapon to break his grip on her and slash his lightsabre towards her chest. Vader tried to use his force sight to anticipate her movements, but the sight began to loop back on itself, pulling him into a crushing mental void. Chi’maera had also tried to use her third sight to anticipate Vader’s next attack and had also been drawn into Vader’s void. Their minds created a feedback loop, spiraling together faster than either could control. 

Section 6 

“You must learn to control your power Chi’maera.” Thrawn chided her.  
Chi’maera looked up at him. The burns from the newly installed shock collar on her neck raising up red welts from their last incapacitating delivery of electricity. She rose from the cold permacrete onto her knees. The shackles on her hands and feet preventing her from rising any farther. She spat blood out of her mouth from when her face had so recently hit the floor. “What makes you think that I was not in control?” She accused.  
“You went so fast that you almost ripped his warship apart.”  
That mischievous eyebrow lifted again. “He ordered me to go as fast as possible. I was just following orders.”  
Thrawn was not amused. “Three crew members died of their wounds.”  
Chi’maera looked away in shame, then down to the three new bitter wounds on her left arm just below the older three. “Those lives were an error in judgement. The price has been paid.”  
Thrawn continued. “And now because of your acti-“  
“HIS actions.” She thundered at Thrawn as she strained in her bonds.  
The electrodes in her collar crackled as Thrawn turned away from her and gestured to those outside the cell that he was in control of the situation. The collar stopped it’s ominous humming.  
Thrawn began speaking again. Being more tactful this time. “…Because of what happened. The tribunal has made their decision. You will no longer be permitted to be a Skywalker. They feel your… instability … makes you too great of a risk.”  
Chi’maera slumped forward in defeat, her forehead pushing down against the cold permacrete. She knew this had only been a matter of time, but the resentment still boiled over. “Then why are you here Mitth’raw’nuruodo?”  
Thrawn could feel physical heat radiating off her. “I have a mission that I need your assistance for.”  
She looked up and scoffed. “Didn’t you just say that I’m no longer permitted to be a Skywalker?”  
“I have a mission that requires, your, other skill set.”  
Her scoff turned back into a glare. “I’m still just an asset to you aren’t I?”  
Thrawn pushed down his feelings of dishonor at how he had spoken to her in the past. “I believe that we may come to a resolution that meets both of our needs.”  
“Always the tactician.” She sighed. 

Section 7 

“Enough!” Thrawn’s voice boomed through the conference room as he stepped between Chi’maera and Vader.  
That was enough of a disruption for both Vader and Chi’maera to pull themselves out of their mental tailspin, but both staggered and struggled to regain their balance for a moment.  
Thrawn continued. “Neither of your missions is to attack each other. Lord Vader, you were tasked to discover the origin of the planet’s destruction and she stands before you. So your mission is complete. Chi’maera, I called you here to assist with Vader’s mission and that has been completed so now—”  
“You did not call me.” She uttered as she rose back to her full height.  
Thrawn was taken aback. He had spoken her name and she had come. Unless…  
She continued. “The Mitth family called me.”  
Thrawn took a step back from her.  
She closed the distance on him. “To pass judgement on you.”  
It seemed like all the air had been sucked out of the room.  
Thrawn found his voice but it lacked his usual bravado. “On what charges?”  
Her voice ran cold again. “Whose ships are those that currently threaten the Ascendency?”  
“Mine.” Thrawn stated.  
Vader stepped forward abruptly. “Those ships belong to the Empire, not to Grand Admiral Thrawn.”  
Chi’maera turned towards Vader. Her demeanour shifted. She smiled. “Excellent. That will make this easy.”  
She closed her eyes and she began to focus. “Found them. Judgement shall be--”  
“They are MY ships!” Thrawn redirected her.  
Her eyes snapped open. “Fine. That will make this more complicated.” 

Section 8 

“I don’t agree with what you’re doing Thrawn.” Ar’alani warned.  
Thrawn keyed the transport’s communicator, keeping his voice low. “This plan has been carefully calculated. Your concern is unwarranted.”  
Ar’alani disagreed. “You cannot see what might come of this. She doesn’t have the control to do what you are asking of her.”  
“But with her… abilities… if she can learn control,” Thrawn pressed. “She will become a great warrior and an even greater asset to the Ascendency.”  
“She’s a child. She deserves a chance to be free of all this.”  
“Seventeen is hardly a child.” Thrawn looked to the back of the transport where she lay curled up sleeping uncomfortably under a bulkhead. He had to agree that the life of a Skywalker left her woefully unprepared for any life beyond her previous role. “And if she cannot find a new role in the Ascendency, then she will spend the rest of her life in that cell.”  
The transport’s location beacon began beeping. Thrawn turned off the communicator and prepared the ship for entering the planet’s atmosphere.  
Chi’marea stirred awake and lurched to the cabin. “Are we here already? You told me that travel without a Skywalker takes ages.”  
He smiled. “It does. But fortunately we did not have far to travel. Were you able to rest?”  
Her eyes rolled in that familiar way. “Sort of. What are we doing here?”  
“We are simply going to have a conversation with one of the ruling members of the Scofti. I would like you to… suggest… to him that he reconsider his current military expansion plans. Do you feel that you would be up to the challenge?”  
Chi’maera hesitated. “I’m… I was a Skywalker. I don’t know anything about being a spy.”  
Thrawn tried his best to speak warmly to her. “Don’t think of this as being a spy. Simply think of it as a new way for you to serve the Ascendency, not as a Skywalker, but as a warrior.” 

Thrawn settled the ship into a landing spot. Chi’maera could feel the pounding of the music from the club through the landing gear of the ship.  
They immerged from the transport and made their way into the club. Thrawn strode through the crowd smoothly, without missing a step. Chi’maera, on the other hand, had never been out of her sheltered Skywalker world since she was seven. She was awestruck by the number and types of aliens, the loud music, the dancing lights, the fragrant smells. Thrawn had to take her by the arm to guide her through the ruckus. They settled at the bar, next to a number of Scofti.  
“What are you doing here Chiss?” Their leader drawled.  
“I was hoping that my colleague and I could have a conversation with you about your recent plans to expand into Chiss territory.” Thrawn stated.  
The leader was incensed. “Do you think you can change my mind, blue-skin?”  
Thrawn cracked the edge of a smile. “I think she might be able to.”  
He gestured for Chi’maera to begin.  
At first she was hesitating. “You will… you will reconsider your plans.”  
The leader shook his head. “What is the meaning of this? You bring this girl here and think she can change my mind? You offer me some blue skin and expect me to betray my people?”  
Chi’maera balked. It wasn’t working.  
“Although,” The leader stepped predatorily towards her. “since you’re outnumbered Chiss, I might take your offer and NOT reconsider my plans.”  
Chi’maera tried to back up, but was stopped by the rough grasp of one of the other Scofti.  
“Thrawn?” She rasped.  
Thrawn was quickly restrained by three other large Scofti. He tried to resist, but a hard punch met his stomach, instantly followed up by a knee to his head. He wobbled, but did not quite fall. Ar’alani was right, Thrawn had not forseen this possible outcome. The leader grabbed at Chi’maera’s waist and pulled her sharply towards him. “Let’s teach both of these two a lesson about the power of the Scofti leadership you will take back to your precious Ascendency.”  
Thrawn used an impressive level of skill to try to evade his captors, but was quickly overwhelmed by their numbers and force and was knocked to the floor. The leader started pulling Chi’maera away.  
“Stop.” She said quietly.  
He jeered. “What’s that girl?”  
She planted her feet firmly on the ground. “I said STOP.”  
Her voice echoed through the club, causing a bass rumble through the ground.  
The leader leaned in close to mock her. “Or. You’ll. Do. What?”  
Chi’maera’s lip curled up in a growl as her two index fingers twitched. “Or, I will make you pay.”  
His grip slackened as his other hand suddenly grasped his head. “make… me… pay… ?”  
She straightened.  
“I’ll.”  
Both of his hands clutched his head.  
“Make.”  
His face twisted in agony.  
“You.”  
He dropped to his knees.  
“Pay.”  
No sooner had the words escaped her lips than her hand snapped into a fist and the base of the leader’s skull collapsed in on itself. His body crumpled to the ground in a heap. Chi’maera turned her wrath onto the Scofti who were beating Thrawn. He was in a ball on the ground, using his arms to protect his head as they continued to pummel him. She snapped her fist again and all three of the Scofti dropped like stones. Thrawn opened his eyes and looked up as a couple of the other bar patrons noticed the disturbance and came over to investigate. Without blinking Chi’maera swung towards them and they both dropped like the others. Thrawn rose unsteadily to his feet as more aliens rushed them. Chi’maera’s breath became ragged and her lips parted in a snarl as she faced the growing mob. A blue light began to emanate from her hands. She howled as the blue light turned to electrical bolts and instantly engulfed the entire bar in a heartbeat. Every creature in the building was instantaneously incinerated.  
Except for Chi’maera and Thrawn.  
As Thrawn staggered towards her, the blue electricity from her right hand started to crackle up that arm. She looked at it with confusion as four small, clean wounds appeared on her upper right arm. Then the blue charge from her left hand raced up her arm. She cried out as hundreds of tiny new lacerations etched their way around her left bicep, leaving behind angry, seeping wounds. Once the etching was complete, she exhaled, her breath freezing in the air. Thrawn reached out to her but recoiled as his skin touched hers. She saw the mere fleeting moment of his recrimination and disapproval at the destruction she had wrought. He watched her face as the last piece of that childish Skywalker he had once known dissipated with the last of the blue charge. 

Section 9 

“Those ships threaten the Ascendency. Do you deny that?” Chi’maera’s voice cut through the silence of the conference room.  
“No.” Thrawn declared.  
“Those ships are commanded by you. Do you deny that?” She continued.  
“No.” Thrawn asserted.  
“Through your actions, you have chosen to serve the Empire instead of the Ascendency. Do you deny that?” She challenged.  
Thrawn paused. “I do not believe that is a fully correct statement.”  
“You know there is an easier way to form judgement on your actions.” She threatened.  
He retained his standard composure. “I believe there is a way to form judgement that does not result in the death of myself or the end of the Mitth family.”  
She dismissed him. “I have been called. Those are the only two options that remain.”  
“If you would permit me to demonstrate other options, would you consider them?” Thrawn pressed.  
The accusation flowed from her lips like water. “Always the tactician.”  
“In this instance,” He continued. “I do not believe that the best tactical option presents the best outcome for the Ascendency, myself, nor you.”  
“My outcome has never been a consideration.” She growled.  
“I believe that has been a chief error of mine in the past and I wish to correct it.” Thrawn searched her face for any sign of what he was looking for. He saw none, but pressed on. “In my time serving the Empire I have met other individuals who possess special abilities such as yourself. Here it is called The Force. Some serve what they call the ‘light side’ such as the Jedi I met named General Anakin Skywalker. Others serve what they call the ‘dark side’ such as Lord Vader. Others, such as the Bendu state they serve no side but their powers bring great destruction regardless. Every attempt to use military tactics to defeat these opponents has met with failure. So I can only conclude that the use of military tactics and the Force are mutually exclusive.”  
“I tire of this.” She muttered.  
Thrawn could not determine if she was referring to his current explanation or of the role she was forced to perform for the Ascendency. He internally cursed his shortcomings with reading the political leanings of others, but pursued his point.  
“And when force users are required by others to use their abilities for tactical purposes, while the magnitude of their power may increase, the cost for the user becomes immense.” Rather than gesturing to Chi’maera, he turned his gaze to Vader.  
Vader glared back at Thrawn accusingly. “What costs are you referring to?”  
Thrawn was in a precarious position, and he knew it. “Is there not a sacrifice, a cost, to using The Force in the way you do Lord Vader? General Skywalker had to sacrifice the wellbeing of… those he cared for… in order to fulfil his military mission. Are Force users not compelled to sacrifice parts of themselves until they are all but unrecognizable to those who once knew them?”  
Vader was about to lash out at Thrawn when he saw that Thrawn was no longer looking at him, but at Chi’maera.  
“What is the point you are trying to make?” Vader demanded, shaking Thrawn from his gaze.  
Thrawn turned to address Vader, pulling a holoprojector from his tunic. “When searching the archives of the Republic, I found a painting recovered by Cal Kestis. It was of a Binog painted by force users called the Zeffo people. It depicts a Binog in a field, surrounded by what they called ‘Life Wind’. But notice the odd variation in vegetation beneath it. From the pattern of color and line, it is clear that through this creature they saw great power, but also foresaw the destruction of their civilization and their extinction. On Atollon, a force-wielding creature called the Bendu told me he foresaw a similar defeat in my future.”  
Vader could not miss a chance to rub salt in Thrawn’s wound. “On your failure at Atollon.”  
“A warrior does not fear failure. As those lessons may yet reveal the path to a victory.”  
Thrawn pulled up another painting. “This painting is recovered from the tomb of the Zeffo leader Kujet, created just before the fall of their civilization. It also features a Binog, but there is a marked lack of balance in this work, both in color and symmetry.”  
Thrawn clicked the holoprojector off. “You are correct Chi’maera. I do not serve the Ascendency.” Chi’maera nodded and blue electricity began to crackle between her fingertips.  
Thrawn turned to Vader. “As I do not serve the Empire.”  
Vader’s lightsabre blazed back to life.  
Thrawn played his final hand. “I serve only victory.”  
Vader and Chi’maera both paused.  
“It appears that every culture with members that are connected to The Force are doomed to be drawn to it’s tactical power and as such are drawn into their own destruction. This pattern has played out with the Zeffo and the Jedi. And now both the Empire and the Ascendency are being lured into similar destruction through their use of each of you.” Thrawn pointed out the spaceport to the remnants of the planet. “I seek answers in how to avoid such a fate.”  
He walked back to his command chair at the head of the conference table and sat down. “And so to correct the errors of my past, to prevent mistakes of the future.”  
He sighed and looked to both of them. “When I was younger, I was offered the friendship of a young Skywalker. But I did not see who they truly were. I only saw their tactical value and acted accordingly. And now both of these friends have been lost to me.”  
Vader’s lightsabre retracted and Chi’maera’s electricity dissipated, echoes of their past selves running close to the surface.  
Thrawn continued. “But if one is remembered by a friend, a Skywalker is never truly gone.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was a personal challenge to complete a story and to get up the courage to post it on a public forum.


End file.
